Ultrasound Referrals

Any client who has a positive pregnancy test at the Boston Center for Pregnancy Choices office and is estimated to be in their first or second trimester is eligible to be referred for a free ultrasound if they meet the required criteria.

What is the Purpose of an Ultrasound?

Even if you are pregnant and have decided to have an abortion, we first recommend having an ultrasound. This ultrasound can give you a definitive idea of how far along your pregnancy is or whether your pregnancy may end in natural miscarriage (please see below for more information). Technicians can easily look at and analyze the fetus and provide an accurate estimate of its development. In addition, ultrasounds can detect the presence of a heartbeat to ensure the fetus is developing on schedule based on its gestational age.

Miscarriage

An ultrasound can also assess your risk of miscarriage, which affects up to 20 percent of all pregnancies according to the Mayo Clinic. There are a wide variety of factors that can lead to a miscarriage, and according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, more than 80 percent of miscarriages occur in the first trimester. It is therefore important that you undergo an ultrasound soon after taking your pregnancy test.

If you are pregnant and experiencing symptoms such as severe cramps, bleeding, abdominal pain, fever, and/or back pain, seek medical attention. These could potentially be signs of an impending miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy (which are pregnancies that develop outside of the uterus).